Prescription Drug Abuse in Knoxville TN (877) 804-1531
Many people in the Knoxville area and around the nation are under the impression that the only addictive drugs around are illegal drugs. However, prescription drugs can often be just as addictive as illegal drugs. In fact, prescription drug abuse in Knoxville is a growing problem. The biggest obstacle in getting treatment for a prescription drug abuse problem is that many people do not immediately recognize that they have a problem.
What Is Prescription Drug Abuse?
Prescription drug abuse in Knoxville occurs when a person misuses and/or overuses a prescription drug. The misuse of a prescription drug can refer to numerous behaviors. First, if a person is using a prescription drug but is doing so without a legitimate prescription for that drug, it is considered abuse. Additionally, a person who has been prescribed a prescription drug can also abuse it by taking more at once than instructed or taking the drug more frequently. The recreational or non-medical use of prescription drugs is considered to be abuse, whether or not the person develops an addiction to that drug. Call Alcohol Treatment Centers Knoxville at (877) 804-1531 to learn about treatment options.
Common Drugs of Abuse
There are some prescription drugs that are more commonly abused than others. These include:
Opiates
- Dilaudid
- Codeine
- Morphine
- Vicodin
- Demerol
Sedatives
- Xanax
- Valium
- Klonopin
- Ativan
- Ambien
Stimulants
- Cocaine
- Adderall
- Meth
- Ritalin
- Amphetamines
Signs and Symptoms of Prescription Drug Abuse in Knoxville
- Financial troubles
- Seeking out multiple prescriptions
- Lying about losing medication when it runs out fast
- Extreme or rapid changes in weight
- Hostility towards friends and family
- Trouble focusing or concentrating
- Changes in blood pressure or heart rate
- Trouble at work or school
- Changes in appetite
- Purchasing prescription drugs from illegal dealers
Treatment Options/Withdrawal from Prescription Drugs
Different prescription drugs cause different withdrawal symptoms. Additionally, some treatments may be more useful in treating certain prescription drug addictions than others. A few examples include:
Adderall Withdrawal/Treatment
Adderall is becoming an increasingly popular drug of abuse, particularly on college campuses. Some of the symptoms of withdrawal from Adderall include physical weakness, sweating, tremors, and even seizures in some cases.
Because of the potential for seizures as well as the fact that home detox can easily lead to relapse, a person addicted to Adderall should strongly consider going through detox in a residential addiction treatment center. This can ensure that they complete the detox process, and when they have completed it, they can head right into therapy and other treatments such as restorative yoga to break the mental addiction they also have to Adderall, relieve the stress that often leads to stimulant addictions and abuse, and build the skills and strategies needed to head back to college (or work) with a commitment to staying substance abuse free.
Opiate Withdrawal/Treatment
Opiates are among the most addictive drugs. As such opiate withdrawal is one of the most intense and can even be dangerous in some cases. Commonly people withdrawing from opiates feel intense aches and pains, experience vomiting and diarrhea, as well as shakes and tremors, and may even experience seizures.
As such, treatment for opiate addictions must include medical detox to be considered safe. Medical detox not only helps to monitor withdrawal symptoms and intervene if medical emergencies arise, but can also help the addicted person to detox gradually through the use of Suboxone or other similar drugs that help the body to adjust to the detox process. Additional treatments, of course, will include therapy to deal with issues underlying substance abuse as well as to help the recovering addict to develop strategies to cope in the future while avoiding substance abuse.
If you believe you are suffering from a prescription drug abuse problem or addiction, there is help available. Contact Alcohol Treatment Center Knoxville for further information or to get into a treatment program as soon as possible. Call (877) 804-1531 today.